1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to wireless communication and more specifically, but not exclusively, to flexible control channels for unplanned wireless networks.
2. Introduction
A wireless communication system may be deployed in various ways depending on the requirements of the intended application. For example, a planned deployment may be utilized for an application such as a cellular network where seamless connectivity is desired over a relatively wide area. To reduce interference in such a network, the channel or channels used by the wireless devices of the network may be defined throughout the network.
Recently, there has been an increasing trend towards low-cost, flexible deployment of wireless networks to support local area networks for indoor cellular usage and home access points. As a result, system design has moved away from the planned and smooth interference model to one that needs to be more robust to (1) bursty interference due to partial loading and (2) service through an access point that may not be the best from an RF link perspective. This leads to greater uncertainty in the design with regard to the lowest signal-to-interference noise ratios (SINRs) that can be achieved as well as the extent of traffic multiplexing that takes place. While data transmissions in such a setting have traditionally been taken care of through dynamic interference avoidance, rate adaptation, and hybrid automatic repeat-request (ARQ) techniques, control transmissions do not enjoy the benefits of those techniques.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improvements in control transmissions to enable greater robustness as needed as well as flexibility to traffic demands.